UVM staff say "no" to NEA union

Burlington  Employees in administrative and technical support positions at the University of Vermont voted 443 to 189 against representation by the University Staff Union of the NEA.

Throughout the unionization effort, the university encouraged affected employees to learn about the nature and impact of collective bargaining through its “Informed Choice” website, which contains questions and answers that reflect concerns voiced by UVM staff members.

The University also has consistently emphasized the importance of wide employee participation in an attempt to ensure that the outcome was determined by a majority of employees in the proposed bargaining unit.

More than 80 percent of the 779 eligible voters participated in today’s election. “We are pleased that enough UVM employees participated in the election process over the past two days so that the outcome clearly represents the view of the majority of individuals eligible to vote,” said Vice President for Finance and Administration Richard Cate. “We are grateful to all those who voted, and we look forward to working directly with our employees regarding issues of concern to them.”

Lastly, Cate said, “the University of Vermont is an exceptional institution that depends on a community of dedicated people for its successful operation. The University has enjoyed remarkable success over the last several years and the excellent work of the UVM staff is essential to realizing the vision for the future of the institution.”

The vote still needs to be certified by the Vermont Labor Relations Board.